CHAPTER
6
The Teen Titans returned to the army base to gather up the members of H.I.V.E. Suddenly, three figures stepped out of the shadows.
“That was some serious hero work, Titans,” said one of the figures.
“Aqualad!” said Robin with surprise.
“We came here to clean up your mess, but it looks like you have everything under control,” Aqualad said grudgingly.
Superboy and Miss Martian nodded in agreement.
“Perhaps you can admit you misjudged us,” Robin said.
“You do look pretty serious now,” Aqualad said. “But I just worry… is it too serious?”
“Too serious?!” screamed Cyborg. “You don’t understand what it’s like to be half-machine and half-man!”
“Let’s get out of here, Titans,” Robin said. “There’s a life-and-death emergency in the Muka Muka Sector we have to deal with.”
Robin paused dramatically and narrowed his eyes to a squint.
“And something tells me this is only the beginning!” he added, before striding off with extra grim purpose.
Twelve hours later, the Teen Titans were back in Titans Tower. Robin was standing next to the window again, lost in deep and very serious thoughts. Cyborg and Beast Boy were sitting at opposite ends of the couch, glaring at each other. Raven and Starfire were seated nearby.
“Can you believe that Aqualad thought we were too serious?” Robin grumbled.
“Not now, Robin,” said Beast Boy. “I need to have a little talk with my supposed friend, Cyborg.”
“What do you mean ‘supposed’ friend?” Cyborg asked angrily.
“You know what this is about,” declared Beast Boy. “You drank my juice, and I want to know why!”
“You knew that was my juice! My name was on the carton!” yelled Beast Boy.
“So?” Cyborg said, stifling a yawn.
“If I can’t trust you with my juice, then maybe I can’t trust you at all,” Beast Boy said, turning away from Cyborg.
“Well, that makes two of us,” agreed Cyborg. “Trust is a two-way street, friend-o!”
Robin watched his two teammates with concern. Forcing himself to smile, Robin tried to defuse the situation.
“Hey, guys, let’s not get too serious,” Robin said. “It was just juice.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” Beast Boy said savagely. “It wasn’t your juice!”
Suddenly, Raven started yelling, “Guys! The monster in me is feeding on your anger. I don’t know who I am anymore!”
“C’mon now,” Robin said. “You’re Raven!”
“Am I?” Raven asked with a worried look. A dark aura had surrounded her, and she spun around to confront her teammates. Her face was a mask of pain. “Or am I a monster? Or a freak?” she wailed. “I don’t think I can be a part of this team anymore!”
“Waaaah!” Starfire burst into tears, and between sobs she asked, “What is happening to our team? Since I have come to this planet, you have been like the family to me. Without the Teen Titans, I have no one.”
Beast Boy shouted angrily, “It’s too late, Star. He knew what he was doing when he drank the juice. My juice!”
“And I enjoyed every single sip of it!” taunted Cyborg.
“Arrrrrgggggh!” screamed Beast Boy as he launched himself into the air and started attacking Cyborg.
“Urrrrrrrggh!” grunted Cyborg as he fought off Beast Boy.
“The darkness is everywhere!” Raven wailed as an inky blackness surrounded her.
“Waaaaaah!” Starfire continued to sob.
Robin surveyed his anguished teammates and pondered quietly, “I thought being serious would bring us closer together, but it’s only driven us apart. Could this be the end of our team? What will the next chapter bring in the saga of the Teen Titans?”
